Toronto Raptors rookie has Harry Potter-esque pre-game superstition
Toronto Raptors rookie Allen Graves isn't afraid of cramped spaces.
The 20-year-old power forward is living his NBA dream in Toronto this season, and he's pulling out an odd pre-game ritual to help keep things going.
Like many other professional athletes, Graves likes to take a nap before games to ensure that he's well-rested and ready to go. On the surface, it doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary. Yet, he revealed on the latest episode of Raptors Open Gym that he has a specific room in his house dedicated to his pre-game nap.
It turns out that Graves takes his naps in what looks like a cramped closet that requires him to crawl in and out of.
"You got my pre-game nap spot right here; this is where I go," said Graves. "My Harry Potter room; that is what this is."
Toronto #Raptors rookie Allen Graves reveals his "Harry Potter" pre-game nap room on the latest episode of @Raptors Open Gym. I guess we now know that he isn't claustrophobic. https://t.co/abg8PTntdX
— Marley Dickinson (@marleydickinson) October 24, 2026
The room also appears to be under the stairs in his house, which perfectly emulates the cramped closet where Harry Potter slept with the Dursley family in the popular book series. Of course, in those books, Harry Potter eventually realized his great potential and moved on to better things.
Graves, however, has officially made it to the NBA, realizing his own potential, but seems content with his cramped nap spot. At least the Raptors will know that he isn't afraid of getting in the tight spaces on the court.
The 2026 first-round pick has impressed so far, making the NBA roster and showing well in his first two games this season. Toronto drafted him with the expectation that he would be a solid two-way piece off the bench, and he's fulfilled that so far.
"Just being able to walk out in front of the Scotiabank fans and hear the national anthem. That was the moment I was just looking around and thinking, 'Man, this is, this is real. I'm here," Graves told Offside in an exclusive interview last week.
The Raptors are enjoying a good start to the season, defeating both the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards in the first two games. Graves has averaged 3.5 points and 3.5 total rebounds in that short span.
His napping situation may not be the most comfortable, but sometimes professional athletes have to resort to unusual solutions to get in the right mindset. The hope is that Grave's Harry Potter-esque room will also lead to some magical results.
John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images
